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Comment by deanclatworthy | Hacker News Reader

Presumably what is my number one issue with online clothes shopping, and why I have and never will do it - sizing and perception.

1) Sizing - ordering multiple sizes so you get the right one is not a sustainable or environmentally friendly way of purchasing clothes online.

2) Perception - looking at a good-looking, slim person trying on clothes is not representative of most people. I've seen plenty of clothes look good on a mannequin look awful on me. Wish I could say vice-versa, but the mannequins don't talk back.

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Even sizing can be 'odd' sometimes. I can many times grab 2 different items the only difference supposedly is color. One will fit the other will have weird spots that dont. I basically have to try everything on before I buy it. Otherwise I am just going to have to return it immediately. That is currently easier in a store than playing the mail it back game.

If I were ordering custom sized cloths then maybe this would be useful. Neat for sure. But I am not seeing the usefulness because of the wild inconsistencies in most cloths.

On 2) perception. Not only are the models typically in the top 1% of fitness fit with 40” chests and 31” waists and six packs, but it’s rare they’re under 5”11 despite the median male height being 5’9”.

So all in all the male clothes models usually look like just a fraction of a fraction of the population and that fraction is all outliers in no way representative of a typical shopper.

> is not a sustainable or environmentally friendly

These products need to be shipped to the U.S., usually by boat, where freight trucks haul them to warehouses before another set of freight trucks deliver product to storefronts which have giant parking lots next to them so customers can drive their gas cars to park in them. Let's not talk about all the unsold waste.

I'm open to options.

What does the back end look like?

Is every garment custom made, or selected from inventory?

I've no idea. I've never bought clothing online and don't trust these services either (yet).

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